Feeder Cleaning
by Laura Dornan
Keeping bird feeders clean can be a tedious and difficult job, especially post-mounted feeders. But if we are going to feed the birds, we must do so responsibly, so I looked for a way to make this job easier.
I started with a small plastic bucket. (Some bird supply stores sell specialty seeds in such buckets or you can buy one at the hardware store for less than $5.) Into this bucket I put all the supplies I need to keep the feeders clean: a water bottle (especially useful in winter when outside spigots are frozen); another jug containing a bleach mixture (nine parts water to one part bleach); a bottle brush for cleaning tube feeders; a sponge; a rag; an old vegetable scrub brush (for scrubbing out the birdbath); and two putty knives, a 1-inch and a 2-inch. These come in very handy for scraping out the old seed hulls that remain in the post-mounted feeders. The small knife gets into even the tightest corners and serves as a broom to move the hulls onto the larger knife or dust pan.
It is now easy to clean each feeder, as I can take my supplies with me as I go on my feeding rounds. First I remove the old seed and hulls by putting them in a plastic bag that I also keep in the bucket. (A bread wrapper or the bag my newspaper comes in works well.) This keeps the old seed from being thrown on the ground, where it becomes moldy. Next I remove any remaining residue with a damp sponge and then use the bleach mixture to thoroughly wipe all surfaces with which the birds may come in contact. I rinse with clean water and use another sponge or rag to dry the feeder as much as possible. I then move on to the next feeder, leaving the first to air dry before adding seed. Even with only a few feeders, on a sunny or windy day it is usually possible to begin filling the dried feeders as soon as the cleaning round is completed.
Because this job is now easy to do quickly and efficiently, I don't mind doing it each time I fill the feeders or at least once a week. Now I am comfortable with the knowledge that I am welcoming the birds to dine in a clean and healthy environment.
